Lizzo

The runaway success of Lizzo’s fourth album, Special, is arguably the showbiz story of the past 2020s. However, headlines telling of her “overnight” success have gotten it wrong: the artist born Melissa Viviane Jefferson has walked a hard road to get where she is today.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, but brought up primarily in Houston, Texas, the young Melissa initially became a classically trained flutist, but her love of artists such as Missy Elliott and Lauryn Hill inspired her to pursue a post-college career in hip-hop and R&B. Adopting the stage name “Lizzo” (a variation of “Lissa”, inspired by the Jay-Z cut Izzo (H.O.V.A)), she released two early albums, Lizzobangers and Big Grrrl Small World, which she supported with relentless touring with the likes of Haim, Har Mar Superstar and Florence + The Machine. However, her third album, 2019’s Cuz I Love You – which included the Missy Elliott collab Tempo and her first Hot 100 hit, Truth Hurts – had a far greater impact, going platinum in the US and winning a Grammy Award.

Since then, there’s been no stopping this singular performer. A staunch advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and an empowering figure for body positivity, Lizzo joined pop’s big league with songs such as Juice and her first US No.1, About Damn Time, and consolidated her position with 2022’s Special: a feisty, on-trend mix of R&B, hip-hop and infectious pop which suggests Lizzo has all the smarts she needs to stay in the spotlight for years yet to come.